Top 15: Hip Hop's 2011 Message

As the year comes to end, I hope you all have had the time to reconnect with family, relax your mind, reflect on the times and recharge for the triumphs to come in the new year. At the beginning of this year I sat out to do my best to find the best hip-hop being produced. I can't say that I have listened to every song made this year or that such a pursuit was my aim, however I do feel like I have heard more then my fair share of music. Simply, I will say the hip hop artist of 2011 have given those who love the culture, the music, the identity of hip hop a reason to be proud. I would not argue that all the music has been all good or even the majority, but I will again say that there is hip-hop to be damn proud of. This music has a message.

Through trying my best to share the best music from each quarter of the year with you all; I started tagging songs that I thought embody what I believe to be the culture of hip hop. After, some bit of time over the past few days I was able to compile a list of 15 songs that I would feel comfortable saying represent me. The range of topics covered in these songs, along with the musical production of these songs have in short impressed me. No, actually more than that these songs I can feel in my soul, I feel proud to be apart of the culture that produced them, and I hope it never dies. This music has a message.

Well that's my little emo intro judge me if you will, but I suspect your time will be better used listening to the music.

As you may know whenever I post music I try my best to include a cause worth supporting. So for the end of the year here are two organizations who are giants in serving our communities most vulnerable and another that is close to my heart.

1. The Harlem Children Zone is a community based education complex system located in Harlem, New York providing not only education to the area's children but also empowerment to the community it is a part of. Link to support HERE

2. The Hosea Feed The Hungry program based out of Atlanta for the past 40 years has served the hungry and homeless in the city of Atlanta. This group has been tireless in their service. Link to support HERE

3. The Dozoretz National Institute for Mathematics and Applied Sciences(DNIMAS) is a Scholarship Program that provides full academic scholarships to many minority students ever year that attend NSU. The program does not just provide funds, but also the support for its scholarship students who are pursuing careers in STEM fields. I am a proud DNIMAS Graduate. Link to support HERE

The Top 15... in no particular order

- "Blue Sky" by Common

- "The Greatness" by Pac Div

- "Murder to Excellence" by Jay-Z & Kanye West

- "DreamChasers" by Meek Mill feat. Beanie Sigel

- "Woopty Doo" by CyHi Da Prynce feat. Big Sean

- "Look What You've Done" by Drake

- "Hold You Down" by Childish Gambino

- "Lost Ones" by J. Cole

- "Keisha's Song (Her Pain)" by Kendrick Lamar feat. Ashtro Bot

- "New Day" Jay-Z & Kanye West

- "Dreamin" Big K.R.I.T.

- "LightWork" Lupe Fiasco & Ellie Goulding & Bassnectar

- "Breakdown" J. Cole

- "We All Try" Frank Ocean

- "Rise and Shine" Big K.R.I.T.

I am certain that arguments for songs from artist like KillaMike, David Banner, Phonte, The Roots, Jean Grae, Blu, and others could be made. If you have such arguments I would be glad to hear about them in the comments or on twitter just at me @Pperiod. Again these songs are the songs that I feel carry the message of hip hop best in 2011. So make sure you take a close listent to the lyrics, word plays, stories, and production. I hope you enjoy the list as much as I enjoyed making it for you. A combined ready to play list is below.

Peace....